motive

1 of 3

noun

mo·​tive ˈmō-tiv How to pronounce motive (audio)
sense 2 is also
mō-ˈtēv How to pronounce motive (audio)
Synonyms of motivenext
1
: something (such as a need or desire) that causes a person to act
Revenge was the murderer's motive.
2
: a recurrent phrase or figure that is developed through the course of a musical composition
3
: motif
the composition's recurring flute motive
motiveless
ˈmō-tiv-ləs How to pronounce motive (audio)
adjective
motivelessly adverb
motivic
mō-ˈtē-vik How to pronounce motive (audio)
adjective

motive

2 of 3

adjective

mo·​tive ˈmō-tiv How to pronounce motive (audio)
1
: of or relating to motion or the causing of motion
motive energy
2
: moving or tending to move to action

motive

3 of 3

verb

mo·​tive ˈmō-tiv How to pronounce motive (audio)
motived; motiving

transitive verb

: motivate

Synonyms

Noun

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for motive

motive, impulse, incentive, inducement, spur, goad mean a stimulus to action.

motive implies an emotion or desire operating on the will and causing it to act.

a motive for the crime

impulse suggests a driving power arising from personal temperament or constitution.

buying on impulse

incentive applies to an external influence (such as an expected reward) inciting to action.

a bonus was offered as an incentive

inducement suggests a motive prompted by the deliberate enticements or allurements of another.

offered a watch as an inducement to subscribe

spur applies to a motive that stimulates the faculties or increases energy or ardor.

fear was a spur to action

goad suggests a motive that keeps one going against one's will or desire.

thought insecurity a goad to worker efficiency

Examples of motive in a Sentence

Noun Their motive in running away was to avoid being punished. I think he's guilty of the crime. He had the motive, the means, and the opportunity. She denied that her offer to help was based on selfish motives.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Authorities did not immediately release any other information about the man, including his identity, or offer a possible motive in the case. —Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024 Although police did not disclose a potential motive, Martínez Mayen said the family believes the slaying was over money. —Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
Adjective
Motive remains elusive as investigation unfolds Law enforcement officials remain flummoxed so far about Crooks’ motive, multiple news outlets reported. —Kenny Jacoby, USA TODAY, 17 July 2024 Greensboro Police said in a news release dated Oct. 14 that there were no details about any possible suspects or motive. —Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
White working-class New Yorkers increasingly felt not only alienated but also motived to express their dissatisfaction. —Longreads, 3 Oct. 2024 The very last people who aren’t really motived to change any of this are the publishers themselves. —Paul Sutter, Ars Technica, 12 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for motive 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French motif, motive, from motif, adjective, moving, from Medieval Latin motivus, from Latin motus, past participle of movēre to move

Adjective

Middle French or Medieval Latin; Middle French motif, from Medieval Latin motivus

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1657, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of motive was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing motive

Dictionary Entries Near motive

motivator

motive

motive power

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Motive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motive. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

motive

1 of 2 noun
mo·​tive ˈmōt-iv How to pronounce motive (audio)
sense 2 is also
mō-ˈtēv How to pronounce motive (audio)
1
: something (as a need or desire) that leads or influences a person to do something
their motive in running away was to avoid trouble
2
: motif

motive

2 of 2 adjective
mo·​tive ˈmōt-iv How to pronounce motive (audio)
: of, relating to, or causing motion
motive power

Medical Definition

motive

noun
mo·​tive ˈmōt-iv How to pronounce motive (audio)
: something (as a need or desire) that causes a person to act

Legal Definition

motive

noun
mo·​tive
: something (as a need or desire) that causes a person to act

Note: Motive is distinguished from intent or mens rea. Although motive is not an element of a crime, evidence of motive can be introduced to help establish intent.

Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French motif, from Middle French motif adjective, moving, from Medieval Latin motivus, from Latin motus, past participle of movēre to move

More from Merriam-Webster on motive

Nglish: Translation of motive for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of motive for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
little chihuahua dressing like a turkey for thanksgiving
Is That Gratitude or Attitude? A Thanksgiving Quiz Decide which words express gratitude and which gi...